411 I'HILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [anNO IOqQ. 



or the Egyptians, and concludes this part with an account of the first ancient 

 tribe they had. 



In the fifth part he says, he discovers the beginning of the ancient Celtics, 

 who were afterwards called Gauls: and he tells the Abbot Nicaise, he will make 

 appear from Josephus, and other ancient writers, that they descended fiom 

 Gomer, youngest son to Japhet, yet will not rest his proof here, but says he 

 will give good reasons that Asia Major, toward the Caspian Sea, was their first 

 establishment, that is, about Margia, Hyrcania, Bactria, and other adjoining 

 parts : also that they had the name of Gomorians, or Gomarites, for many ages, 

 as descending from Gomer, Japhet's youngest son. 



Dr. JVallis's Answer to Mr. Leibnilzs Letter foregoing. N° 255, p. 280. 

 • Translated from the Latin. 



Sir, " Oxon, April 20, 1699. 



What you complain of, that the sublimer studies are not now pursued so 

 eagerly as formerly, and nature has fewer diligent observers, may be in some 

 measure true ; but it is not to be wondered at that the studies of men should 

 have their vicissitudes like all other things. Doubtless in the present age, which 

 is now drawing to a period, knowledge of all kinds has experienced very great 

 and even unhoped for improvements, as physics, medicine, chemistry, anatomy, 

 botany, mathematics, geometry, analytics, astronomy, geography, navigation, 

 mechanics, and even, what I least rejoice at, the art of war ; and indeed far 

 greater than for many ages before. For formerly men seemed to aim at nothing 

 more than to understand what had been delivered by Euclid, Aristotle, and the 

 rest of the ancients ; having little concern about making any further progress, 

 as if they had established the limits of the sciences, which it might be presump- 

 tuous to extend. But after some few had ventured to look further, others were 

 thence encouraged to enter the wide field of the sciences. Thus a new ardour, 

 a new effort, urged them to attempt new things, and indeed not without suc- 

 cess. But when the novelty ceased, this new ardour gradually declined. Many 

 of the ddigent scrutinizers of nature are dead, and others must soon follow 

 them; and the novelty of the subject will no longer, as before, excite the young 

 men to tiead in the steps of their predecessors. 



The matter also itself was great, but is now partly exhausted; so that a har- 

 vest is not to be expected, but only a gleaning; and it seems reasonable to allow 

 that those that are tired and wearied should have some rest. Nay it may hap- 

 pen, though I wish it may be otherwise, that the sloth of the next age may ex- 

 ceed the industry of the present. 



You wish, and so do I, as the French Academy of Sciences now seems to be 



